The Ice Star (Konstabel Fenna Brongaard Book 1)

by Christoffer Petersen

  Fenna looked up at Humble. She felt the energy and adrenalin drain from her body. “Who are you?”

  “A good question,” he said. “You can take it to the grave, Konstabel.”

  Fenna blocked Humble's words from her mind. Not yet, she said to herself. I need to know. “Vestergaard,” she said. “What about him? He works for you?”

  “Vestergaard?” Humble said and turned to Burwardsley.

  “You know him as The Magician,” Burwardsley said. Fenna recognised the look on his face, as if it was more information than he wanted her to know.

  “Yes, yes. Now he proved his worth.”

  “But he’s Danish?” said Fenna.

  “Yes. So was Kjersing.”

  “Was?”

  “Mike?” Humble said and looked at Burwardsley.

  “Not yet,” he said.

  “Oh, come on, Mike.”

  “Mr Humble, sir,” Burwardsley said and sighed. “What with her and the Greenlander...”

  “Fine,” said Humble. “I’m sure you’ll get around to it.”

  Burwardsley nodded as if it was one more task on a very long list. Fenna watched him and then turned her attention to Bahadur as he shuffled closer, his hand grasped around something. Fenna squinted to see what it was but failed. She glanced at Dina. The Greenlander had not moved. She was completely locked down, as if Humble's presence had tripped a switch and short-circuited her body. Humble took a step to one side and cocked his head. Fenna looked up as she became aware of him staring at her. She met his gaze and placed her hand on Dina's leg.

  “And her?” she said. “What about Dina?”

  “What about her?” Humble said and shrugged. “She heard too much.”

  “So you cut out her tongue?”

  “Christ no,” he said. “She bit it off herself. Some foolish attempt at suicide.”

  “Why would she do that?”

  “It’s in the Greenland psyche…”

  “You’re a bastard. An evil piece of work,” Fenna said and spat.

  “All the same, Konstabel, Dina heard far more than was good for her, or you,” Humble said as his lips curled into a smile Fenna wished she could erase from her memory. He leered at her, looked at Dina and then licked his top lip. “There are some rewards in this line of work, and I have certain needs, things I desire that I would not wish on my wife. Dina satisfied those needs,” he said and Fenna shuddered at the matter-of-fact manner in which he said it.

  “You're an animal.”

  “And she is a savage,” he said and shrugged. “Your country treated them as savages for years, why shouldn't I?”

  “She’s a human being.”

  Humble shook his head and turned his back on Fenna. He walked across the deck to Burwardsley and nodded. “Drug her,” he said. “The guests have forced a vote. Apparently they’re tired of the east coast and want to go to the west. That suits me fine. I'll get a plane to pick me up once we get there. They can fly me over to Canada. You can contact me at the Toronto office if you need me.”

  Burwardsley nodded and clicked his fingers at Bahadur. Fenna watched as the Nepali opened his hand to reveal two syringes. She shuddered as he held them up to the light.

  “Just the Dane, Bahadur,” said Humble. “I have to talk to the Captain, but when I’m done,” he said and nodded towards Dina. “I might have some appetite left.” He turned towards Fenna and said, “They're no good if they're drugged. It's like having a limp fish on your cock.” Humble slapped Burwardsley on the back and laughed as he walked towards the door of the hold.

  “You bastard,” Fenna shouted at his back. She scrambled to her feet as Burwardsley pulled a Taser gun from behind his back and fired. Two probes punctured Fenna's dress and knocked her to the floor as the electroshock incapacitated her. Burwardsley tossed the Taser onto the deck and kneeled down beside her.

  “You haven't got much time left, Konstabel,” he said. “There's been a bit too much drama these past few hours. The guests are all on edge and dumping two young women over the side will only make them nervous. They might be rich, but not all of them are stupid.” He waited as Bahadur pressed the needle into Fenna's neck and depressed the plunger to pump the sedative into her body. Fenna's teeth chattered as she tried to focus her eyes on Burwardsley, Dina, anywhere.

  “Done, Saheb,” said Bahadur.

  The Nepali moved to stand up but Burwardsley caught his arm. Fenna fought to focus on his words as he nodded in Dina's direction.

  “Do me a favour, Bad,” he said.

  “Saheb?”

  “Shoot her up too.”

  “But Mr Humble...”

  “Fuck Humble,” Burwardsley said and waved his finger in front of Fenna's eyes. She followed it as best she could. “You think I’m a monster, Konstabel,” he said. “But even monsters have days off.” Burwardsley stood up and shrank out of view, and the thrum of the ship's engines seeped into Fenna's mind as her body let go.

  The Schoolhouse

  WEST GREENLAND

  Chapter 26

  UUMMANNAQ, WEST GREENLAND

  The light from the passageway tugged at Fenna's eyelids, pressing, insistent, painful. She rolled her tongue within her mouth, it flopped to one side and lay heavy in her cheek. She tried to open her eyes and caught a glimpse of a man with the head of an elephant, huge ears, before her lids failed and her eyes shut. Something kicked at her feet and she felt the deck beneath her legs as they were spread apart.

  I must wake, the thought tumbled within her head. Wake up, Fenna. Wake up.

  “Wake up,” a voice said. “Open your eyes, bitch.”

  Fenna opened her eyes as the shadow of Lunk towered above her, extinguishing the light from the passageway, extinguishing hope.

  “No,” she said, the word mumbled from her lips.

  “Oh, but I say yes,” Lunk said and laughed. He moved his head and the light caught the elephantine bandage covering his left ear. Lunk unbuckled his belt and slipped it out of the loops of his trousers. He huffed for breath as he kneeled beside Fenna and bound her hands in front of her stomach. “Payback's a bitch, bitch,” he said, his breath ragged with excitement.

  Lunk gripped Fenna's jaw within his meaty hand and squeezed her mouth open. He spat in her face and lumbered into a standing position. The muscles in Fenna's face trembled into a limp grimace as her body fought the drugs.

  Wake up, Fenna.

  Lunk unzipped his trousers and reached inside the fly, pleasuring himself with one hand as he wiped a swathe of sweaty hair from his forehead. He leered at Fenna, the smile on his face dimpling his fat cheeks. He hawked and spat again, the spittle and phlegm landing squarely on Fenna's breast. Lunk twisted to free his penis from his trousers, sneering as the tip caught on the teeth of the zipper. He sighed as he stroked himself above Fenna, pleasure flooding his body, dulling all other senses, blinding him to the chair that crashed into the back of his head.

  Fenna blinked as Dina raised the chair a second time, gutter noises clucking from her mouth as she hit Lunk again, and again. She turned as he lifted his right arm in defence. Dina slammed the chair into his bandage. Lunk screamed and collapsed to the deck. She hit him again and the chair bounced out of her grasp, it skittered across the deck as she leaped upon Lunk, curling the fingers of her right hand into a fist full of greasy hair as she punched his left ear. Fenna blinked at the vision of Dina, cat-like, her hair streaming like a banshee's banner, rising and falling as she lifted Lunk's head and hit him again and again.

  “Dina,” a man's voice shouted from the passageway. Dina hit Lunk again as the man leaped over the lip of the door ran across the deck, the stomp of his boots echoing around the hold and drumming into Fenna's body. She lifted her head as the man turned and the dim light flickered across the face of The Ice Star's head of security.

  “Dina, stop,” Watts said. He dropped the bundle of clothes and boots in his hands and wrestled Dina off Lunk's back. She screamed a gargle of abuse and fought back, pushing Watts to t
he floor. He tried to stand but Dina pressed her knee into his chest, fumbled for the pistol at his waist, ripped it from the holster and pointed it at Lunk's head. Fenna squirmed to one side, out of the line of fire.

  “No, Dina,” Watts said.

  Dina flicked Watts a look through slitted eyes, turned to face Lunk and pulled the trigger. The report of the 9mm boomed through the hold as the bullet punctured the back of Lunk's head and pulped the left side of his face. Dina lowered the pistol, slipped off Watts’ chest and kneeled on the floor.

  “Fuck,” Watts whispered as he pushed himself to his feet and holstered his pistol.

  Dina’s body trembled as wiped the hair from her eyes and slipped a t-shirt over her head. He lifted Dina's limp arms and guided them through the holes. He did the same with a sweater then walked around her, slipped his arms beneath hers and lifted her to her feet.

  “How are you doing, Konstabel?” he said as he helped Dina step into a pair of military trousers.

  Fenna licked her lips and coughed a reply, “I am okay.”

  “Can you stand?”

  “My hands,” she said and lifted her wrists, Lunk's belt pinched the skin, the buckle digging into the back of her hand.

  “Give me a minute,” Watts said. He glanced towards the passageway as he lowered Dina to the deck, tugged socks over her toes and shoved boots onto her feet.

  Fenna wriggled into a sitting position, wobbled onto her knees and stood up.

  “All right, Dina. I am going to help the Konstabel now,” Watts said as he tied the laces of Dina's boots. “Do you hear me?” Dina stared at the deck. Watts tied the last bow, cupped Dina's face in his hands and kissed her brow. He reached for the second set of clothes and boots, stepped over Lunk's body and nodded at Fenna. “Let's get that belt off,” he said and dropped the clothes and boots onto the deck. He glanced for a second time at the doorway and then unbuckled the belt around Fenna's wrists.

  “It was your voice on the satphone,” she said as Watts freed her hands. “It was you Dina called, wasn't it?”

  “Yes,” Watts said and tossed the belt onto the deck. The dim light reflected the tears welling in his eyes as he tried to smile. “She is my ice star. Not this fucking ship. Not these people. I can't live without her. I won't live without her...” he wiped away a tear with his finger, then palmed it away with his hand. Fenna dressed as Watts recovered. “We met only a few months ago, when she first came onboard. I got to know her as she guided the guests. Then she got sucked in by Humble’s charm, and the next thing I know, she is gone for days. I overhead one of the Filipinos say they saw Burwardsley dragging her into the chopper. I guess he was tying up a loose end. He was off the ship when she called me. I found her on the ice with a dog team,” he said as Fenna fastened the buttons of her windpants. “They found her, of course, in my cabin.” Watts clenched his fists. He looked away as she pulled the dress over her head and slipped her arms into the sleeves of her thermal top. She sighed as the sleeve caught on Vienna's gloves. Watts looked up and tugged the gloves free. He slipped the fold of the top over her breasts and pulled it down to her waist.

  “Thanks,” she said and took the sweater from his hands.

  “We don't have much time,” he said and glanced for a third time at the doorway. Fenna tugged her boots over her bare feet. “No socks,” Watts said. “I couldn't find them. Sorry.”

  “It's fine,” Fenna said. “You got all this from Vienna's cabin?”

  “She gave me the key,” he said and nodded. “I also have this.” Watts tugged the Webley from the waistband at the back of his trousers. “I even found a single bullet in the bottom of your sledge bag.” Fenna fumbled the pistol as Watts handed it to her. “You sure you're okay?”

  “I'll be fine,” she said and pressed the pistol into her windpants. “Just a little groggy.”

  “Okay,” he said and nodded towards the door. “We have to be going.” Watts walked around Lunk's body and pulled Dina to her feet. “You've been out for four days. They gave you at least one more shot that I know about. Maybe two.”

  “Where are we?” Fenna asked as she followed Watts and Dina to the door.

  “Uummannaq fjord. We're anchored just outside the harbour. It's a popular stop for tourists and the guests got tired of Humble planning their itinerary. He's rich, but not that rich,” Watts said and smirked, but Fenna could see no amusement in his expression.

  “So what happens now?”

  Watts paused at the lip of the door. Her curled his arm around Dina and kissed her gently on the side of her head. “I have a Zodiac waiting to take you into town. You can trust the driver,” he said as Fenna frowned. “He owes me a favour.”

  “And then what?”

  “I called ahead to the hospital. It's the yellow building right on the water's edge. They are expecting you. I told them you were both in need of medical attention, and that they might want to inform the police.”

  “Okay,” Fenna said as she processed the information. “Okay, let's get to the boat.”

  “You'll have to do that,” Watts said and pressed Dina into Fenna's arms.

  “You're not coming with us?”

  Watts shook his head and tugged the pistol from its holster.

  “He'll kill you.” Fenna caught the edge of fear in her voice.

  “Burwardsley? Maybe,” he said and smoothed his hand through Dina's hair. “But I can't live with the knowledge of what they did to her,” he paused to swallow, “on my watch.”

  “You're not responsible.”

  “Yes, Konstabel, I am,” Watts said. “I practically delivered her to them.” He let go of Dina and pressed his fingers into his shirt pocket. He pulled out a micro SD card in a tiny plastic case.

  “What's this?” Fenna said as Watts placed the card in her palm.

  “Humble likes to watch,” he said and gave Fenna a grim smile. He closed her fingers over the card and nodded. “I'll get you off the ship. Just promise me you'll get the bastard. For Dina,” he said and let go of her hand.

  “I promise,” Fenna said and zipped the card inside the chest pocket of her thermal top.

  Watts stepped over the lip of the door and pointed to the ladder halfway down the length of the passageway. “Take the ladder to the next deck. The door is open and there is a ladder down to the Zodiacs. There will be a crowd,” he said. “Guests going into town. Go past them and get on the last boat.”

  “Got it,” said Fenna as she guided Dina through the door. She flexed her fingers and smiled as the feeling returned to the tips beneath her scratched and broken nails. She caught Watts' arm as he took a step down the passageway. “Vienna?” she said “Is she with Humble?”

  “I don’t think so. She let me in to her cabin and helped me find your clothes,” he said and shrugged. “She is also a prisoner aboard the ship. Just not Humble's.”

  Fenna took a breath and nodded. With one hand curled around Dina's back, her fingers gripping the waistband of the Greenlander's trousers, Fenna walked down the passageway behind Watts. He held his pistol low but ready, his index finger tapping the trigger guard.

  Dina stumbled along beside Fenna, all the way to the ladder. Fenna took a step and tugged at Dina's trousers. Dina shook her head and looked at Watts.

  “It's okay,” he said. “Go with her. I’ll find you later.”

  Dina stamped a foot on the deck.

  “Dina,” Watts said. “Go.”

  She stamped again and Fenna winced at the ring of her boots echoing down the passageway. Watts pressed his hand against Dina's cheek. He smoothed a strand of hair from her eye with his thumb. Dina's eyes glistened and a tear rolled onto Watts' thumb, seeping into the pores of his skin.

  “Go,” he said.

  “Come on, Dina,” Fenna said and took a step up the ladder. She pulled at the waistband of Dina's trousers, yanking the Greenlander up and onto the first step as Dina clawed at Watts' jacket. Dina choked and the guttural sounds of her cries were painful for Watts to hear. He to
ok a step back, out of reach. Fenna yanked Dina onto the next step as the sound of someone jogging along the passageway from the stern of the ship forced Watts into a defensive stance. He held the pistol in a two-handed grip as Bahadur slowed to a walk and lowered the British SA80 rifle to a casual position.

  “Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,” said Burwardsley as he stepped out of a workspace between the hold and the ladder.

  “Mike,” said Watts as he glanced over his shoulder. Bahadur slipped behind a fire hose mounted on the bulkhead, his rifle raised as Watts flicked his attention away from Burwardsley, searching for the Gurkha. Fenna tugged Dina onto the next step.

  “The Captain chose the right side,” Burwardsley said. “Why couldn't you?”

  “Oh, I don't know,” Watts said as he stepped backwards around the base of the ladder and pressed his back against the side of the ship. “I guess I have principles.”

  “Principles?” Burwardsley said and laughed. “That's rich.” He nodded at Bahadur and took a step towards Watts. “You sold out, just like the rest of us.”

  “Maybe I did, but...” Watts flicked his eyes from Burwardsley to Bahadur as the Gurkha inched forwards. Fenna pulled Dina up the ladder, just three steps from the deck above. She looked over Dina's shoulder just as Burwardsley drew the Browning, straightened his arm and fired.

  The crack of the shot thundered along the passageway, drowning Dina's scream as Fenna dragged her up the last steps and onto the deck. Watts tumbled to the floor, raised his pistol and fired two shots in quick succession only to be silenced by a three-round burst of 5.56mm from the Gurkha's rifle. The impact flipped the security officer against the bulkhead. He slid onto the deck as Burwardsley leaped over him and ran up the ladder. Fenna shifted her grip to the front of Dina's waistband and dragged her into a stream of crewmen as they bustled about the passageway, heads bobbing around one another for a better view. Fenna crashed through the crowd, located the open door and pushed Dina out of the ship and down the ladder to the Zodiacs, squinting in the brilliant light, and stumbling past the guests and into the Zodiac at the end of the pontoon dock.